Fruit vending machine



y 23, 1931-v N. P. PETERSEN FRUIT VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31. 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 1 July 28, 1931. N. P. PETERSEN 1,316,341

FRUIT VENDING MACHINE Filed'Aug. 51, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28,1931. N. P. PETERSEN FRUIT VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed'Aug.31, 1927 Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE NELS P.PETERSEN, 0] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,- ASSIGNOR TO ANTONETTIE M. E.

PETERSEN, 0]? LOS ANGELES, QALIFORNIA FRUIT VENDING MACHINE Applicationfiled August 31, 1927. Serial No. 216,567. I

ported, and before this is released, inserting a the barrier, thebarrier being provided with a resilient lost motion connection which, inthe insertion, prevents damage to the fruit.

Another detailed object/of my invention is in connection with theclosing of the trap door by the return motion of the arm operating thevending mechanism and withdrawing the barrier, which also may have adelayed motion, assuring the door being closed before the barrier iswithdrawn, and dropping the stack of fruit onto the trap door.

\ A further detailed object of my invention is in mounting apinion on afixed axis and having upper and lower racks engaging therewith, thelower rack being directly connected to a hand operated rod for "workingthe vending machine'.- The lower rack,

moreover, has a trigger for releasing a catch which holds the trap doorof the magazine closed,and also this lower rack has an arm with a rollerthereon which closes the trap door after the vending operation. Theupper rack has a barrier operatively connected therewith and movable tobe insertable inthe magazine,-this barrier being constructed with apartly slidable or delayed motion connection with the upper rack.

Another object of my invention in connection with the coin controlfeature of my vending mechanism is in the employment of a pivotallymounted latch which has a device for engaging a coin on edge and on theforward movement of the lower rack,- when the coin is inserted, thelatch is depressed, allowing the working'of the vending machine.However, if there is no coin lnserted, a stop devlce 1s brought intoaction and prevents movement of the lower rack.

Other detailed objects and features of my invention such as theparticular arrangement and mounting of the pinion, the rack bars, thearms for controlling the magazine and the particular construction of thebarrier, its lost motion connection, etc., will be detailed in thefollowing description:

My invention as applied to a fruit vending machine having a single stackof fruit is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through my machine taken onthe line 11 of Fig. 3, this view showing the position of the mechanismbefore the vending operation.

Figure 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of themechanism after vending an article such as an orange.

Figure 3 is an irregular vertical trans- I verse section on the line 3-3of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 1 in thedirection of the arrows. Figure 5 is a partial elevationv of the lowerrack bar taken in the direction of the arrow 1 with a side or coverplate removed showing the non-return control for the rack bar.

Figure 6 is avertical longitudinal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 inthe direction of the arrows showing part of the barrier and the lostmotion connection with the upper rack bar.

. Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the barrier inserted in themagazine.

The general vending mechanism is mounted in a suitable base housing 11having an upper casing 12 and in this latter is mounted a magazine 13for holding the fruit or articles to be vended. This magazine is shownas tubular and is open at the bottom 14:, which bottom is closed by atrap door 15 pivotally connected to one side of the magazine, asindicated at 16. The trap door has a cam section 17 on the bottom and isprovided with a block 18 at its free end.

This block is engaged by a catch 19 having a tooth 20 engaging in anotch 21 of a trap door. This catch is pivotally mounted as indicated at220m the side of the magazine, the upper end 23 of the catch beinnormally pressed outwardly by a sprm 24 which1s secured to the lowerpart 0 the magazine. On one side of the magazine there is a horizontalslot 25 for insertlon of the barrier, as hereunder set forth (note Figs.1 and 2).

The coin control features connected to my vending machine comprise acoin chute 30 indicated in phantom in Fig. 1, this leading the coin to aposition indicated at 31, in which position the coin engages aprojecting nub 32 which has an inclined upper edge 33, this nub beingmounted on a latch 34 which is pivoted on a pivot pin 35 secured to ablock 36 extending upwardly from the base 37 of the vending machine.This latch is normally pressed upwardly by a spring 38 fitting in asocket 39 and coiled around a stem 40. A stop post 41 is also secured.to the latch slightly to one side of the hub 32 which is in alignmentwith the edge of the coin and the stop post 41,

being on one side of the coin. The upward movement of the latch islimited by pins 42 secured to the upper part of the block 36 (note Figs.1 and 2).

The nub, the stop post and the latch co operate with the slidable rackstructure of the vending mechanism constructed as follows: An operatingarm or rod 45 has a handle 46 and is slidable through an aperture 47 inthe front of the housing 11. This is connected to a rack bar 48 which isslidable in a suitably mounted guide-way 49 in the vending machine. Onone side of this rack bar there is secured a plate 50. This plate has arounded forward edge 51 to engage the edge of the coin and also has astop pin projected from one side. When the handle 46 is pulledoutwardly, if there is no coin in the position indicated at 31, the stoppin 52 engages the upper part of the stop post 41, and is therebyprevented from outward movement, thus blocking the operation of thevending machine.

However, when there is a coin in a position of 31, this is shoved in aforward direction by engaging the curved surface 51. of

i the plate 50. The action presses on the nub 32 thereby pivoting thelatch lever 34 downwardly to such an extent that the stop pin 52 passesover the top of the sto post 41.

The latch lever then returns to 1ts normal position under the action ofthe spring 38. The relative position of the above elements areillustrated in Figs 1 and 2.

On return movement, on thrusting in on the handle 46, the stop pinengages the upper curved surface 53 of the stop post 41, therebydepressing the latch lever 34 and allowing return of the parts to theiroriginal posi tions. In order to prevent a return motion of the rack barwhen once started, I provide a series of notches 55 on the bottom ofthis bar, with a pair of recesses 56 at the end of the notches. A dog 57is mounted on a pivot pin 58 in a pocket 59 of the block 36. The lowerend 60 of this dog is attached by a spring 61 to the block, thisallowing the toothed end 62 to engage in the notches 55 and prevent areturn movement of the rack bar when it isv once started in itsmovement, until the movement in either direction is completed (note Fig.5).

The closing and opening mechanism for ,the'magazinc is constructed asfollows: An arm 65 is connected by means of a stud 66 to the rack bar 48and at its upper end it carries a roller 67. At the end of the rack barthere is a trigger arm 68 which has a forwardly turned flange 69, theaction being as follows: Then the handle 46 is drawn outwardly, thuspulling the rack, the flange 69 of the trigger 68 engages the upper endof the catch 23, this action compressing the spring 24 and pulling thetooth 20 out of engagement with the notch 21 of the trap door 15, sothat this door is free to drop, due to the action of gravity and alsothe weight of the fruit or other articles to be vended resting on thistrap door. This action is represented in Fig. 2.

On the return movement of the rack bar 48, the roller 67 engages the camsection 17 of the trap door 15 and forces this into its closed position.After it is closed, the trigger moving away from the catch 19 allows thespring 24 to return the catch to its normal position with the tooth 20in engagement with the notch 21 of the trap door, thus holding it inlocked position as shown in Fig. 1.

The transfer of motion is effected by the rack bar having teeth on itsupper edge which mesh with a pinion 76 which is mounted on a stud 77 ona frame 78 contained in the housing 11 (Fig. 3). The rotation of thepinion actuates anupper rack bar 79 having teeth 80, this rack barsliding in an upper guideway 81 contained in the housing 11. A tensionspring 82 caught between a screw 83 on the upper rack bar and a hook 84on the front of the housing 11 normally hold the two rack bars and thepinions and other associated parts in the position shown in Fig. 1.After pulling out on the handle 46 the spring is tensioned, as shown inFig. 2, and returns these parts to their normal inactive position.

A barrier 90 is formed of a plate 91 having a forked inner end 92, theforked end diverging as shown in Fig. 4. This barrier. plate is slidablein a guideway 93 in the upper part 94 of the general frame 78 (Fig. 3).A block 95 is firmly secured to the under surface of the barrier plateand has a horizontal opening 96 therethrough, in which slides a rod 97having a cotter pin 98 at its outward end.- This rod is rigidlyconnected to a second block 99 and there is a coiled spring 100 on therod between the two blocks. The block 99 is rigidly connected to an arm101 which is rigidly attached to the upper rack bar 79, as indicated at102.

The action of the barrier is substantially as follows: When the lower'rack bar is pulled out, due to a purchaser pulling on the handle 46,the upper rack bar 79 is moved in the reverse direction, due to theirtoothed interconnection with the pinion 76. The inward movement of thisupper rack bar through the medium of the arm 101 carries the forwardblock 99 and through the medium of the spring 100, the inner'block 95 isthen shifted. This latter block carries the barrier plate, which passesthrough the slot 25 in the magazine 13 being shifted from the positionof Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2.

Should the forked end 92 of the barrier plate engage an article to bevended such as an orange or apple whose lowermost point is not .quite inline with the barrier, the spring 100 may become compressed to asufiicient extent to prevent injury to the fruit, but not sufficient toprevent insertion of the barrier between the lowermost fruit and the onenext above thus the barrier provides a device for supportin the columnor stack of fruit in the magazine after the lowermost one has beenvended by dropping through the trap door 17. The fruit, when vended,rolls down and isjdispensed through the chute 104 (Fig.

In the return action. the weight of the fruit tends to hold the barrierplate'91 until the cotter pin 98 engages the inner block 95, thusholding the stack of fruit in themagazine until the trap door 15 iscompletely closed and caught by the catch 19 as above explained. v

From the above descri tion, together with the'illustrations, it will eseen that I have developed a simple type of vending machine .whichissuitable for fruit or other irregularshaped articles. These, asindicated, may be arranged in a suitable stack, one above the other. Itis, however, to be understood that I may have a magazine with aplurality of stacks of fruit of different means, the

magazine being shiftable as is common ;:in vending machines so that 'anyparticular article may be vended.

Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the description,drawingsand claims.

I vclaim:

1. A vending machine havinga magazine, 1

means to support a stack of articles, one

above the other, therein, a movable barrier slidable through said block,an outer block connected to the rod, a spring between said rods, andmeans to reciprocate the outer block, said reciprocating motionthrusting a barrier between a lowermost article in the magazine and thearticle next above.

2. A vending machine having a magazine for a stack of articles one abovethe other, a trap door forming a support for the lowermost article, acatch securlng said trap door in closed position, a movable structurehaving a trigger to release the catch to allow opening of the door inone direction of movement of the said structure, and a roller todirectly engage and lift the door and close the door on another movementof the structure.

3; A fruit vending machine having a magazine for a stack of articles,one above the other, a trap door pivotally connected to the magazine andforming a bottom closure to support the said articles, a pivotallymounted catch engaging the door and-holdingsame closed, a springretaining said catch in engagement with the door, a movable structurehaving a trigger to engage the catch and compress-the spring, therebyreleasing the door on the movement of the said structure in onedirection, an arm having a roller connected to the said structure, saidroller engaging the door and closing the door on the reverse movement ofthe said structure.

4. A vending machine comprising in combination a magazine for a stackrofarticles, a supporting device to retain the lowermost article in themagazine, a-lowerrack bar having means to open and close the supportingdevice for the stack of articles, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, asecond rack bar, a barrier plate connected thereto, said barrier platebeing insertable into the magazinc and between the lowermost article andmounted rack bar meshing with the pinion,

a slidable barrier plate connected to the second rack bar and shiftableto be interposed between the lowermost article and the one next above,andmeans to operate one of said rack bars.

6. A vending machine comprising in combination a slidably mounted lowerrack bar having an operating rod with a handle, a magazine having apivotally mounted trap door at its lower end to support the lowermostof'a stack of articles, a catch pivotally mounted on the magazine andhaving a tooth engaging with the trap door, a spring normally pressingsaid catch into engagement with the door, a trigger connected to therack bar to releasethe catch by compressing the spring in the outwardmovement of the rack bar, an arm connected to the rack bar having aroller to engage the trap door and close same on return motion of therack bar, a pinion mounted on'a fixed axis meshing with the rack bar, asecond rack bar meshing with the pinion, a barrier plate off-set to oneside from the second rack bar and shiftable partly across the magazineto, support the stack of articles above the lowermost article afteropening of the trap door.

. 7. A vending machine, as claimed in claim 6, the barrier plate havinga pair of prongs at its outer end and having a'mounting with a spring,said spring allowing a stopping movement of the barrier plate onengaging an article and allowing further movement of the second rackbar.

8. In a vending machine having a magazine, means to support a stack ofarticles one above the other therein, a movable barrier positioned belowthe magazine in the form of a plate having a pair of prongs to engage aspherical article, and means to in- 'sert said barrier between alowermost article of the stack and the article next above.

9. In a vending machine having a magazine, means to support a stack ofarticles one above the other therein, a movable barrier in the form ofaplate having a pair of prongs to engage a spherical article, meansforming a resilient mounting for the barrier adapted to allowdisplacement thereof on the plate striking one of the articles, andmeans to shift the plate forming the barrier between the lowermost andthe article next above in the stack.

10. In a vending machine having a magazine, meansto retain a stack ofarticles one above the other in the said magazine, the said retainingmeans releasing the lowermost article, a barrier plate positioned toenter the magazine, means to shift the plate betweent-he lowermostarticle and the article next above in the stack on the release of thelowermost article, means having a lost slip 11. In a vending machinehaving a magazine, means to retain a stack of articles one above theother in the said magazine, the

the weight of thefriction between the plate and the guideway whereby theplate is held temporarily underneath the stack of articles on thepartial withdrawal of the lost slip motion means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

N ELS P. PETERSEN.

